Association Soa Zara

In the beginning of 2016 and after having read a report about the agricultural problems and dangers in our region, basically explaining that “around 2040, if nothing is done, agriculture will not be possible anymore in our region”, we, Delina & Jacob, owners of the ITC Eco Lodge in Ranohira, took it upon ourselves to start planting trees and created a small tree nursery for that purpose next to our Eco Lodge.

Photo 03/05/2017 ITC Lodge, Ranohira, “natural forest” tree nursery.The same year, a savannah fire spread inside the national park and many trees on which lemurs species feed were damaged, leaving the lemurs with a lack of food. They therefore had to risk travelling across the open savannah during daytime and/or continue their search for food at night. Even our Eco Lodge, on the outskirts of Ranohira between the village and the park, received visiting lemurs at night, taking the fruit from our gardens to feed on. While as a hotel owner it is nice to see lemurs comming onto the hotel grounds and running around the gardens, the underlaying message was quite clear and touching; The lemurs are starving and have had to take big risks to arrive at our lodge to find food for their survival.If they had gone elsewhere they would possibly have been captured to be eaten or be sold as pets.

It is therefore that we started planting our first natural forest on a piece of land of about 20 hectares in size, bordering the river “Menamaty” between Ranohira and the Isalo National Park so in case of a lack of food inside the park, lemurs would find an alternative food source closer by.After discussing the report and the problems with passing tourists who advised us to seek international sponsoring for the project, our association “Soa Zara” was created at the end of 2016.

The name of the association “Soa Zara” means “well shared” referring to coexistance and the well sharing of available land and resources between humans and animals.

SOA ZARA’S GOALS

The goal of Soa Zara is to protect the environment and fight erosion, dehydration and desertification of the soil by reforesting our region with natural forests.Some 50 years ago there were many large forests between the village of Ranohira and the Isalo National Park as well as in other parts of our region. Now all that’s left is savannah with a few scattered trees.

With charcoal being the main energy source for households in Madagascar, the commune of Ranohira (at the foot of the Isalo National Park) needs around 160.000 trees for its charcoal , fire and construction wood. To offer an alternative to cutting natural forests, wo therefore also plant production forests next to the villages in our region.

Many lemurs are illegally kept as pets and as 80% of Madagascars forest have been cut only few habitats remain. A part of a forest we are creating will be made into a rehabilitation center to give the lemurs the time to readapt to a life in the wild before they are reintroduced in other forests that we are creating along the park.

Due to the deforestation our region is drying up. Our reforestation project will stop erosion and bring water back to our region. The Menamaty river which is also used for doing laundry is currently not more than a little stream and will once again be a river with fish and freshwater shrimp and other animals living in and around the river, which it was before.

And of course our forests will capture CO2!

To stop the pollution of the riverwater with soap and plastic bags, one of Soa Zara’s many projects is to create public laundrybasins in the village